XTV
by lloth
Summary: Max investigates a website seemingly viewing Transgenic Death Matches. Imagine Max's surprise as she descovers that the face looking back at her from the screen is that of her friend and companion, Alec.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

It had definitely been planned. They knew who he was. His position had been compromised somehow and his identity discovered. Alec had been ambushed by four men with metal rods as he had left his apartment for morning shift at Terminal City. Even with superhuman senses you can be caught off guard in the morning haze of sleep and monotonous routine.

He was fairly sure this had nothing to do with the government; in the current climate the police weren't in the habit of keeping transgenics alive when caught. They shot on sight and checked their facts later. Alec was also fairly certain that it wasn't White's breeding cult either. It just didn't smell of them. So there was a new kid on the block then. "Great" thought Alec, "Just what we need, _another _bad guy after us. Like we don't have quite enough as it is."

When Alec had awoken he found his hands had been cuffed behind his back and his legs chained together, Alec shuffled around his imprisonment, analysing any possible escape routs or weak spots. The cell was akin to a police cell. It contained a simple, hard bed, a sink and a toilet. The door was made of thick steel and what looked like a small food hatch at the bottom. Since he had awoken, Alec had worked out that he had been cooped up in the cell for at least four hours. Even with no window to check the light by, transgenics had a keen concept of time. When locked in a child sized cupboard for a week at a time, or strapped to a medical bed for genetic testing in Manticore, you soon learn alternative methods of counting down the hours.

Alec slumped down the wall into a seated position leaning his head on the wall. He cringed as he was reminded of the wound on his crown from the attack. He sighed loudly. "Oh well" he said with confidence, "I've been in worse situations." His face wrinkled as he failed to actually recall a worse situation. Instead he decided on a different outlook. "I'll be alright" he claimed with a smile, "I'm always alright."

* * *

"He's late" Max fumed as she sat at the restaurant table gulping down wine impatiently. When _she _was late it was like opening a door to grief-city. And _he_ had been the one to arrange the meeting, the place and the time. He said it was important. So why on earth was she sitting like some dumped double-date twenty minutes after they had planned to meet.

A moment later Max clocked the familiar figure walking towards her a huge bunch of flowers in hand. "Hi Max. You look beautiful," Logan beamed, carefully handing her the flowers with a leather glove clad hand. "Your late." Max grumped dropping the bouquet by her chair grumpily and crossing her arms, "And you have flowers" she continued, visibly unimpressed, "Did someone die?" Logan looked hurt for a moment, then perked up. "I see you've started on the wine" he said as he poured the remaining drip from the bottle into his glass, "I'll get us some more. Excuse me…."

"Logan, spit it out. Leave out the flowers and the wine. What do you want?"

Logan paused for more than a moment. He had never been one to mince with words. It was a habit nurtured by having money. You ask, you get. But not with Max. Talking business with her was fine; he could ask his transgenic sidekick for any favour without fear of guilt or retribution, but it had always frustrated him how he had an impotence with words when he tried to talk to her about feelings. "I've missed you" he finally whispered, his eyes fixed firmly on the flickering centrepiece.

"I know I've not had much chance to get out and about, with setting up a base and all" Max replied sympathetically, "but you can always call."

"I don't want to call Max. I don't want a chat, I don't want you to go on missions," he was calm, but there was an edge of anger in his voice, " I miss you Max, I miss us."

Max shuffled uncomfortably in her chair. It was not her turn to avoid eye-contact. Silence throbbed uncomfortably around the couple.

"Logan…." Max said uncomfortably, "We talked about this. It wouldn't work… You know with the whole touch and die issue…."

"We could work something out" Logan pleaded, "I've got sources still working on it.."

"….and, its…. like I told you.. with me and Alec" she lied.

"Max. He got shot at Jam Pony and you didn't even blink"

"He's a big strong boy. He can look after himself" Max shrugged defensively.

"You held my hand when the flag was hoisted, not his"

"Habit" She spat, a flare of anger beginning to burn.

Max's eyes flickered at his presumptuous accusations. His arrogance sometimes astounded her. How dare he call her a liar! How dare he just burn the curtain of deceit that she had painstakingly woven! How dare he suggest that _he_ is the only man that she could love "Alec and I are very happy" she hissed, gulping down a freshly replenished glass of wine.

"Alec would never buy you flowers, or take you out for dinner, or care for you." Logan continued. He was becoming more and more confident of himself as he saw how riled Max was getting. He was obviously touching a nerve. "His idea of a romantic evening is a packet of popcorn and a zombie horror movie."

Max stood up from the table aggressively, spilling the wine from the table. "Alec doesn't need to. He makes me feel wanted. Which is more than you have ever done with your business before pleasure attitude." She paused for a moment as she brewed up a more venomous response. "You only decided you wanted me when you thought I was dead!"

Max was surprised at how easily the poisonous words came from her lips. She was surprised that she knew she meant them, and she was surprised that she was suddenly relieved that the virus had kicked in when she had busted out of Manticore. Otherwise they would be back to the 'it isn't like that between us' awkwardness. "You only want me because someone else has me!" she claimed as she spun round and streaked out the restaurant.

Logan sat stunned. Alone at the table. He sipped his wine. And he ordered his meal.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

At least he wasn't hungry. Two days had passed slowly. No one had come into his cell, but once a day a plate of bland food had been passed under the door. Alec had managed to bring his cuffed hands to the front of his body through a strenuous dislocation process, and so was able to eat easily. The food may not have been tasty, but it was more than sustainable.

He was now beginning to worry. This didn't seem to have the flavor of a normal kidnap. No one had interrogated him yet. So it wasn't likely that they were after information. No one had taken blood samples or any kind of medical tests. So they weren't looking to continue and improve the Manticore family business. And no-one had come in and beat him to a bloody pulp. So it wasn't revenge. But most importantly, no one had come to rescue him. With friends like Max, rescue was almost a certainty in a kidnap situation. But it had been days now. Surely they would have noticed his disappearance in Terminal City? After his failed attempts to get out of his shackles and escape, rescue had become plan A. With the days ticking by, a plan B was in urgent need of creation.

A noise broke his contemplation, the metallic sound of a cell door unlocking. Alec jumped up and poised defensively. Four rough looking men stood at the door. One had a tazer, one had a gun, one had an iron bar, and the final man had what looked like a metal lasso connected to a thick metal rod. "Move an inch and we _will_ shoot you" they warned in a southern drawl, "We put you freaks down like dogs all the time animal, so stay and be a good boy." Alec growled, but stayed put. He had worked though eight different escape scenarios in his head and each one had ended up with him belly up on a platter.

Carefully, and with back up, the fourth man hooked his lasso round his neck and the thick wire tightened. The bar kept the transgenic a safe distance from him as he was escorted him through tight, dark corridors. Alec counted two more cells. But he couldn't distinguish if they were occupied. He also passed a room with a barred window. The snippet he caught suggested to him that it could have been a medical room. He had caught sight of cabinets, a bed and blood spattered walls. He hoped he would get through this scenario without a visit.

Eventually Alec found that the labyrinthed corridors opened up into a huge, high roofed hall filled with people. It looked like an old gym hall, with painted lines streaked on the floor, and holes in the walls where basket ball nets used to hang. Benches were placed around the room and heavy, sweating men crushed on them, a dozen or more on each. The crowd screamed, hollered, whooped and spat at him as he was lead into the room. In the centre there was a wrestling cage, the door was open. In the cage Alec could see another man. Not just a man, a transgenic. Alec recognized him; designation 465. 465 was chained, like Alec by the neck and held by a group of men safely outside the cage.

He had been kidnapped to fight? And not just any old fight. By the look of the weapons hanging from the inside of the cage this was going to be a death match. "How the do I get myself into these things," he cursed. He took a brief but efficient glance around the room for a pair of familiar eyes among the crowd. But there were none,

* * *

"Where has she got to?"

"_Where _has he got to?" Max yelled in disbelief.

"Well, um, he never turned up for his shift" the nervous mole-like transgenic whimpered, "I sent out some people to check out his apartment yesterday. There was a note…" he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot as he handed the letter to his first in command. "The area code is Toronto." he explained.

Max had returned to base of operations in Terminal City to discover that Alec had been MIA for two days. Within the renewed hunt or be hunted society, Alec had been in charge of maintaining training in the troops. Too many transgenic had gone for too long without any formal discipline. They were fast, but their instincts had dulled. His regiment stood chatting at the far side of the room. Without their trainer, no-one had taken the initiative to arrange for a replacement. This was why Max had assumed the role of leader. There has to be a chain of command.

Max had assumed that Alec held the same passion for maintaining order and discipline in the rag-tag group. But it seemed that she was wrong.

Max snatched the note from the patrol and looked at it carefully. It simply said 'Jenny" in feminine writing. There was a number underneath and a kiss. Undoubtedly Alec had gone off with this girl. His only real weak spot was women. He devoured them like ice-cream and discarded the empty cartons guiltlessly. In retrospect, Max wasn't completely surprised that Logan hadn't fallen for their lie.

"He abandoned his post to fly off and see some girl?" Max sounded surprised, but she, along with everyone else in TC knew that this was exactly the kind of thing Alec would do. She calmed herself down. After all _she _had spent all day yesterday on a bike trip, trying to clear her head, rather than helping to organise TC. But she, at least, had left a message. "This is just the kind of recklessness I would expect from you lot." she spoke assertively to the warehouse full of Transgenics, "You all lack discipline in the real world." All movement stopped, all eyes focused on their leader, "Without someone with a gun to your back telling you what to do, you turn into lazy norms." she continued, "Never forget we are born soldiers! And don't forget that we're being hunted, like animals by the outside."

The impromptu speech seemed to have a reaction, and everybody set about their tasks. Max was pleased that she had turned the situation into an affirmation of her leadership. She shrugged off Alec's disappearance casually. "Now," she said calmly to her mole-faced friend, "What else has been going on that I should know about."

"Well, there is one other thing of concern" the woman replied, "Shart, from tech says that he's found an encrypted website which may involve buying or selling Transgenics."

"Bring him for a full report." Max commanded and the little mole scurried off.

Moments later a similar looking creature scurried back in. Formally saluted and explained the situation. "I'm not sure if its selling" Shart, a young X7 reported moments later, "But I'm sure it has to do with Transgenics. I've been following the Internet movements of some suspects in major transgenic hate. These guys make and download fake videos of murdering us, torturing us.. and worse. And nearly all of these guys have been visiting this encrypted website at roughly the same time twice a week. But I just can't get into it."

Max thought for a moment. She would have to cash in a favour she really never wanted to. But sometimes there are things more important than relationships. Like the murder, torture, or selling of her people. The thought of it made her blood spittle and boil. "Just keep working on it" she hissed, "I'll talk to Logan, see if he can get us access." If the lead turned out to be true Max was more than ready for the fight!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Ready?" the repulsive man sneered at Alec as he continued to push him towards the cage. "What makes you think I will." Alec replied defensively. There was no-way he would be forced into a cock fight for the amusement of normals. He would talk to 645, he was a reasonable guy. Neither of them would fight. If they both turned on them, they might even have a slim chance of getting out of here in one piece. "Well here are the rules freak, you fight or you both get a bullet to the brain and we burn down everyone in that nice little street you lived in. The man got close enough to Alec's face that he could smell his rancid breath, "We'll kill every girl you even had a wet dream over." Alec took a moment to pause and contemplate the high reward and low inconvenience of good oral hygiene. He then to a little longer to think about the consequences of refusing to fight. If they really did follow out that threat, these monsters might start sniffing about Max. Not that he had dreams about her… well hardly ever.

Alec was pushed roughly into the cage and the door was closed and locked. The lasso round his neck was now held by the man on the outside of the cage and he pulled Alec against the bars tight enough that he was struggling for breath. Alec looked at 465, 465 looked back, hot rage in his eyes. His eyes frantically searched round the room for any kind of escape or help. Maybe Max was there, still hiding behind the crowd. Or Joshua? But all he could see were hungry, jeering, bloated normals. The air lay heavy with stench of their excited sweat. And it reeked of blood.

As his captors unchained his legs carefully from outside the cage and unloosed his neck, Alec realised that for the first time in a long time he could taste the metallic tinge of fear.

As 645 was released of his restraints his eyes turned almost human as the realization of what he was about to do settled in to his brain. Alec saw him mouth the words "sorry" with grief filled eyes, but he didn't have a chance to apologies back before the X5 flashed across the cage and released a blow straight to Alec's stomach.

* * *

A feeling of sickness swept over her as she sat in her apartment. Carefully she lifted the phone and dialed the number. They had left things so badly at the dinner date, that she doubted he would even answer the phone when he saw it was her number. But it was better this way than in person. She had recently began to feel uncomfortable in his presence. Maybe it was the current state of society. As much as Logan had been an ally over the last two years, the fact remained that they really weren't singing from the same hymn book. Logan was not a transgenic. He simply couldn't understand what they had been through, and what they were fighting for.

Shockingly an answer came quickly. "Hi Max." he chirped. Maybe he was expecting an apology. He always sounded cheerful when he had one up on someone. "Hi" Max replied, "Listen, I've got a favor to ask." It was better to get to business as quickly as possible. He would know that she wasn't here to talk about 'them'. As far as Max was concerned, there was no _them _to talk about. "Oh," came a disappointed Logan, "Of course, anything I can do."

"There's a website. I was wondering if you could decrypt it," Max tapped the keyboard on her laptop, "I'm sending you the details. We think that the site might be selling transgenics" Max moved the mouse and pushed the send button.

There was a pause from both ends of the phone as the electronic message was passed. Max could hear tapping from Logan's end of the phone. "Got it" Logan said. Again there was a pause as Logan accessed the information. Max could hear some more furious tapping from the Logan's keyboard "You know Max," he said eventually, his tone seemed to have changed "You can't cut me up like this."

"What are you talking about Logan"

"You cant have some bits off me, but not others. You're more than happy to accept my help, but other than that, you want nothing to do with me. I have other projects you know."

Max couldn't believe that Logan had decided to play this hand after all. She didn't want to encourage the debate.

"Can you do it or not." she asked bluntly.

"It's not a two minute job Max. I'll work on it for you, but it might take a while. Anyway.." he continued, "if there was transgenic trafficking, I would know about it. I don't think you should worry about this."

"That's for me to decide" she said blankly and hung up the phone. She hoped that she hadn't annoyed him enough that he wouldn't take up the task. .

Max jumped as the phone began to ring. He was probably phoning back to give her grief. She let it ring out. She really wasn't in the mood for an argument.

It rang out again. And again. On the fourth attempt Max picked up the phone. Suddenly ready for that fight. "Listen Logan!!" she yelled.

"Max it's me," came the familiar young voice of Shart. He sounded frantic. "I've managed to decrypt that site." He rushed, "you need to check this out!"

Silently relieved that she no longer needed the help of Logan, Max received the details and punched them into her computer.

Slowly, pixel by pixel a video appeared on her screen. At that moment time stopped and the moving video became a moment. A photograph of a wrestling cage, silhouettes of a crowd in waving and shouting behind. And in the cage were two X5's,weapons in hand, faces and bodies dripping with so much blood they were almost unrecognizable. If it hadn't been for the familiar stance and movement, Max would never have known that it was Alec!

Max watched in disbelief as a knife was plunged into Alec's right leg. He fell to the ground on impact. The other transgenic twisted the knife cruelly. The commentator on the video laughed hysterically at the act. "Brilliant!" He hollered, "He was the favorite to win, but he's not so agile now is he?" The second male voice was slow and cocky, "You might even say," he said, "that there has been a sudden _twist _in the match." The two voices guffawed as the camera focused a close up on Alec. It replayed the hit in slow motion.

"Max?…..Max?….you there?" Shart was still on the phone, "Max?"

"Assemble a troop and get me as much detail on this as you can." Max replied, her voice was professionally steady and quiet. Her eyes never left the computer screen. "We move out tonight." Max jumped up from her seat and grabbed her coat. Her solder had kicked in. Her base, human part had to be locked up inside.

Hesitantly she pushed the power button on the computer screen. The bloodied face of Alec blurred and faded into black.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Everything was fading. "Stay a awake, stay awake." Alex muttered the mantra out loud as he pulled himself along the floor. After the initial blow things had not improved. He had been winded and shaken by the strike to the stomach, which gave the other transgenic more than enough time to grab a weapon from the side of the cage. His weapon of choice was an axe. Clean. Heavy. Good for a quick finish. If you're not fighting another transgenic.

Alex managed to roll and dodge the blows as they came. When the axe had become stuck for a moment in the floor, he had taken the advantage with a swift kick to 465's face. He fell backwards, crashing heavily into the cage. The crowd, or at least those who had placed bets on Alec, cheered with glee. Alec jumped up with a new found agility, and poised, cat-like ready for the fight. "You don't have to do this." he pleaded, "We could figure this out together."

"I don't like this any more than you do." 465 replied, wiping the streaming blood from his lip with the back of his hand, "But I don't have any choice. They know where I live. I have a wife. She doesn't know and… I have to protect her." 465 ran in for a blow. Alec evaded easily and kicked him in the back. The man fell into the cage face first this time. He turned round swiftly, unaffected. "They'll kill you anyway" Alec stated, "You know they will."

"That's a chance" he said simply, "I don't see any other chance."

465 gabbed a metal disk from the cage wall and threw it at Alex. He dodged again, but couldn't move quite quick enough. The disk sliced cleanly across his forehead,. It was clean, and didn't hurt at all, but it blurred his vision with blood. It was a classic Manticore tactic. He wiped it away with his hand, screwing up his eyes to see clearly.

Fed up playing defensively, Alex grabbed the head of 465 and crunched it into his, in a powerful headbutt. The odds had evened slightly. 465 was fazed and showered with Alec's blood. He rubbed at his eyes, wiping the red blurred vision away. Alec grabbed a knife from the cage and slashed at the other man. 465 moved and ducked, but was caught along the side. The wound was deep. Blood flowed freely from his side, down his leg and pooled on the floor.

At no point did either man show any sign of pain. Their movements were precision, the stance exact, their breathing steady and their faces blank. Both soldiers had reverted to their original training. They were no longer vulnerable to base human qualities, such as pain, or fear. They were simply fighting machines. They would not stop fighting until their machine was totally, and irreplaceably broken.

But when the knife twisted through his leg, Alex began to realize that he was loosing the battle. He pulled himself up on the cage, but his useless leg simply gave way and he fell to the floor again. The crowd applauded. There was no way he could defeat another transgenic with such a profound handicap. 465 had reached the same realization. "Its over." He said simply. He grabbed Alec by the throat, pulled him up and leaned him against the cage. Alec did not put up a fight. He saw the long, thin metal pole in 465's hand, closed his eyes and prepared himself for the end.

* * *

As Max slid along the deserted midnight streets, her furious bike thundering, she suddenly regretted leaving so quickly. Those few moment's wouldn't have made any real difference. And yet here she was, completely unaware if her friend was alive or dead. In Manticore it was much less personal. Friends didn't die, soldiers were lost. No-one mourned, they just trained harder. It was all part of the job, part of the life.

Friend. It was a word she had never imagined using on someone so distasteful as Alec. Certainly, the circumstances of their meeting, and those shortly afterward didn't present Alec in a very friendly light. And yet, he was the first transgenic to stick by her. He didn't seek cover in safer pastures. He didn't scatter and go to ground. He stayed near, too near, for the companionship of those like himself. It had made life a little less isolated. Max had someone to go on missions with, someone to bitch about Manticore with, and someone who was also doing everything in his power to _appear_ normal.

But they weren't normal. They were better. And that was something that the world just couldn't accept. Which is why her people were scattered in fear, or fighting in a radioactive base at the heart of the city. Scrambling for scraps of food and medicine and protection.

Ignoring the fire-yielding protesters at the gate of the base, Max roared through the crowd with complete disregard for their safety. She was fed up fighting for both sides of the war. They scattered like frightened birds. She aimed for the carefully placed ramp and easily mounted over the barbed fence into safety, skidding, moments later, straight into base of operations. "Report" she demanded, as she jumped off her bike.

Shart presented himself, pale faced and shakily from the crowd. Suddenly Max became aware that the rescue operation could have already failed. Choking back any sign of fear or worry in her voice Max repeated her command. "I said report goddamnit Shart!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Alec attempted a struggle as the metal pipe rammed painfully through his chest. The adrenaline had worn off now and the release of death almost felt like warm welcome to the encompassing pain that was now manifesting itself. He wished it would hurry up.

Feebly, he opened his eyes. "Not dead yet" he groaned quietly to himself. The heavy pole was sticking several inches out of his body. The rest of it, he assumed, was sticking out he back of him. 465 looked at Alec in triumph. He continued to hold the body of his fallen foe by the collar of his shirt "You have lost" he said defiantly to Alec. Alec looked back weakly, "465," he said, putting his hands on the other man's shoulders and patting them smugly. He smiled a bloody smile, "You're wrong……" Alec grabbed 465's shoulders tightly and with his last available burst of energy he pulled the man towards him into the remaining exposed pole. His aim was good and the metal tore through 465's heart. He looked shocked for a moment. But only for a moment. Quickly the glaze of death shadowed his eyes and his face softened. "You lose." Alec whispered weakly as both men collapsed to the floor.

The world had faded into black. Senses were giving up slowly. He could hear the echoing voice of the commentator over the yells of the blood drunk crowd. "THE WINNER" he yelled in the microphone. Alec wondered what he had won. Then the voices faded into a blur of red noise. Alec felt as the body of his fallen rival was pulled off him. He felt rough handling as he was lifted and placed on a hard surface. A bed, or a stretcher, or a coffin. He felt strong hands holding him down as a force wrench the heavy metal from his chest. Finally he felt the numbing darkness slowly treacle through his body into peaceful darkness.

* * *

"You couldn't call it winning.." Shart explained as he recited the end of the match. "But he was alive when the video cut off."

"Well that's good enough for me" Max said simply.

"We don't even know if the feed was live," another voice interrupted, "He could have already been dead for days."

Max searched the crowd for the soldier who dared to intervene. Her eyes fixed on the source of the statement. "Logan!" she said fiercely, "What are you doing here?"

"I deciphered the code, got the feed," he explained, "When you weren't in, I guessed maybe you had too."

"That doesn't answer my question," Max snapped, suddenly aware that her role of leader was being numbed by the presence of a normal.

"I don't want you doing anything stupid Max" he said, "This one is too big for you to deal with in a rushed two minute plan."

Max looked down at the plans that Shart had given her. The feed was based in an abandoned police station North of the city. They used it in the 20th Century for holding terrorist suspects. It was miles from anywhere, so they couldn't just walk up to the fences without spotted. And the gates were well protected, purpose built to keep people in. The only entrance available without immediate detection was a long trawl along the sewer system. But that was something Max was used to after all the years. Once inside, the place would be crawling with forces, probably armed. No immediate plan could be formed in Max's head.

"Thank you for your input." She said calmly, refusing to make eye contact, "You can go now…. You don't belong here"

Logan paused for several minutes before he slinked out the room.

The watchful eyes of the transgenics returned to Max. "He's right you know." an X5 claimed. A few nods and murmurs of approval could be heard from the crowd. "He's probably dead." came a whisper. Joshua growled fiercely and puffed his chest out in an aggressive stance. He looked ready for a fight, and some of the younger transgenics took a step back from the towering dog-man. "You didn't see it," a scared Shart explained, "he was alive at the end of the match, but not for long. He had been stabbed right through the chest, out the other side with…."

"I don't need to know" Max stated, they could have told her his head had been clean off and she would still go after him, in the tiniest hope that he could survive. "We don't leave a man behind." she claimed. A new voice sounded from the back of the room, "Even if that means getting the rest of us killed over a corpse." The tone had been factual, not aggressive, but Joshua once again growled with fury at the mutinous crowd.

Max held Joshua back as he tried to pounce "They're right." she purred rubbing his shoulder, "this is a personal matter. Alec is our friend. There's no use getting them killed if he's already dead." Joshua whimpered but backed off. Max walked over to the table, grabbed the plans, and grabbed her bike keys. "That's why we'll go alone." she said as she stepped out the room, Joshua following a step behind.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Its funny how being unconscious and being dead feel kind of the same. The only way you know you have been one, and not the other, is when you wake up.

When Alec woke, he found himself looking up at the familiar blood splattered ceiling of the medical room. The clinical smell of cleaning fluids reasserted his suspicions. He couldn't have described himself as in pain. The word barely began to describe the searing fires burning through his entire body. It was more like a thousand demons were chewing and ripping him apart. Alec held his eyes tightly shut and his teeth grated together. He just had to keep himself contained a little longer. He just had to hurry up and die.

"He's stable for now. But I don't know for how long…. Yes, the bleeding has been stopped." Alec could hear a female voice somewhere in the distance, "No…no. Of course he won't be ready for Friday!" She spoke sternly. Alec couldn't hear the other side of the conversation. "There's no point," she continued, "No-one would bet on him. A kitten could take him out." A pause. "Hide it!! I'm a doctor, not a plastic surgeon." Alec heard the noise of a receiver being slammed down in its holder. "For God's sake." she sighed.

The woman, who smelt heavily of alcohol, approached Alec and checked his arm and leg restraints. The simple movements made lightening bolts of flash up his arms and legs. Alec clenched his jaw tighter and breathed in harshly. "So you're awake then. You've been out for a few hours" she said to him, "How do you feel?" Abandoning his initial idea of waiting for death, Alec opened his eyes, "I…." he stammered weakly, "I…feel…" He swallowed painfully, "..like shit."

The doctor was a painstakingly skinny woman, probably in her mid-twenties, though lines round her eyes and thin unkempt hair made her look much older. Alec was astounded that even in his current state, he still took the time to consider that the woman would look quite attractive after a good feed and a bit of a makeover. "I'm sorry honey" the woman purred, gently stroking his forehead, obviously completely unaware of the suffering it caused. "I only get the basics. I've given you some aspirin, it should help". Alec grimaced visibly. Aspirin! Aspirin! An aspirin was used for headaches, toothache, for a godamn cold! Not for people who have been stabbed, beaten, bruised then skewered with a six foot pole. After three attempts to articulately point out this fact, Alec settled with a simple "ok" in response to her question.

"My name is Mandy." the cheerful doctor chattered as she mulled about checking vital signs, bandages and stitches. " You're a sturdy one." she claimed, "You're coping really well." She said it in a matter of fact way; similar to that of a dental surgeon to a child after a filling. "Not many people would survive this kind of trauma. Well done" she smiled. Alec felt that he deserved a lolly-pop, a sticker at the very least. He also felt that this naive woman didn't realise that it was those who _didn't _survive this kind of trauma might well be the lucky ones.

"So you're…." Alec began, with the intent of conjuring some witty remark. His wit and charm were delayed however as a coughing fit escaped from inside him. Deep black blood and other sticky fluids sprayed from his mouth. Mandy tipped his head to the side to prevent him choking. "Careful." she said with a worried expression on her face, "You've got bad injuries to your chest, and I need to make you presentable for Friday. You need to get some rest."

Rest. The concept seemed like a desire hovering over him, visible, but well out of reach. And rest was not going to come until it was beaten into of him, or he got himself out of this. Alec uselessly attempted to pull on the restraints much to his own regret. Cringing he gave up and closed his eyes. Behind his mind's eye dreams and nightmares flittered past his consciousness, his brain too active to sleep, his body to weak to stay awake. A shadowed Max was there amongst spinning monsters and angels. "Why, aren't you here." Alec murmured feverously. Max smiled and stretched out her arms "Its ok Alec. I've got you now."

* * *

Max rubbed both temples with her hands slowly. Her head was aching. When your brain is full of panic and fear, thoughts circle and attack each other like vultures over pray. No individual thought has a chance to fully expose itself as it cowers in the shadow of looming rivals. It had made thinking up a plan almost impossible for Max. Joshua wasn't much help either. He was definitely a guy you wanted on your fight, but his animal instincts hindered any sort of logical plan-making. Max looked over to Joshua who was pacing up and down the corridor, growling softly. 

"Max ready yet?" he asked angrily, "Joshua waiting. Alec waiting."

"I know, big fella" Max replied sympathetically. She looked down at the plans and notes in her hand, "but we need some sort of plan. We can't just make it up as we go along."

"Joshua have plan, Joshua and Max fight. Joshua and Max get Alec."

Max sighed and rubbed her head again. "If we get ourselves into a situation we'll be no help to Alec." She pleaded.

"Max strong. Joshua strong. No situation." growled the response.

It was as easy as that for Joshua. He decided he would fight, and he decided he would win. It was basic. Reckless. Stupid.

But it was as good as any plan Max had at the moment. "Ok" Max said firmly, dropping the papers to the floor. "Lets go then." The two transgenics marched through the door towards the sewers entrance. Soldiers ready for their war. But this was no war. This was no mission. This was about so much more. They would fight. And they _would _win. It was basic, necessary, reckless and ultimately doomed.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Alec jerked and twitched painfully through his restless delusions. The translucent dream-like Max stood in the medical room and stretched her hands out towards him. "I've got you Alec" the voice whispered soothingly, "Just reach out and grab me." Alec tried to reach out towards her hands, but he was firmly strapped into the bed. The attempt sent streams of pain racing through his body. "I can't" he gasped breathlessly, "I can't reach you Max." The ghost remained still with outstretched arms. "You have to Alec." it pleaded, "You have to grab my hand. You're running out of time"

With all his remaining might, Alec attempted to release his hands for a second time. The leather restraints creaked as it dug deeply into his wrists. But they did not break. "I… I cant." he groaned. His body was beginning to give out on him and green spots danced in front of his eyes. Max continued standing, her hands reaching forward, only inches from where he lay. Her face remained serine, but her translucence began to increase. She was blowing away around the edges, like a shifting cloud. "Max…Max don't go" Alec begged. But her legs, her body had gone. All that remained were grasping hands and her face; her hair was blowing upward and outward as it blew away, bordering her face with a dark picture frame. But where before her features had been serine and calm, a scowl now shadowed her face. "I knew you wouldn't be able to do it." she said angrily, "Why don't you just lie here and die then."

With that Max was gone. The medical room was one again empty and still. The only noise that could be heard was the gentle tap, tap, tap of a small flow of blood dripping to the floor where the restraints had dug in too deeply. Alec closed his eyes tightly, forcing back tears of frustration. She wasn't here. It was just a dream. The realisation that no-one was coming to rescue him resurfaced and sent a rush of panic into his heart, causing it to beat wildly.

'_Why don't you just lie here and die then'_. The words repeated over and over inside his head. Even in his fantasies she had been mad at him. 'Lucky she isn't really here.' he thought, 'Don't think mad would cover it.' Danger seemed to creep around after him laughing and throwing pranks in his direction. But this was more than a prank. This time danger had pushed him in front of a moving train. 'If I don't get out of here now.' Alec reflected, 'I'll just lie here and die. Or in the next fight. Or the next one.' Alec thought back to all the idiotic situations Max had bailed him out of, it didn't seem fair that he hadn't returned the favor.

Alec closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and prepared himself for one last attempt. He had to bail himself out this time. He pulled at his hands with all available might. Max did it back in the hospital, she didn't wait for anyone to help. The dripping of blood turned into a patter as the stream quickened and leather pierced his skin. Imagine what she would think if he just lay here to die. His head felt as if it had been filled with searing hot water as the pressure mounted. The restrains creaked. Imagine what she would think if she found out he had been killed by _Normals_. His breathing rasped and bubbled as he continued to pull. She would be so disappointed.

Crack. The metal clip that held his arm restraints to the bed creaked and snapped. His arms pulled forward harshly, ripping at the wound in his chest and various points of bruising. Alec held his breath for a moment, trying to deal with the pain, then he opened his eyes. Carefully, he pulled himself up into a seating position. After taking a moment to steady his himself, he unclasped his ankles with a shaking hand. This was where the plan had ended. "What now?" he said.

* * *

I don't know!" Max hissed, "We didn't have a plan remember." Up until this point their non-existent strategy had been running relatively smoothly. The two transgenics had trawled through the stagnant sewers for nearly four hours. At several points in the journey the waste had been almost knee deep and the pace had been unbearably slow. But not at any point did either complain about the smell, or the damp or the unidentified dead, matted animals floating past their feet.

The journey had given Max painfully long to think about Alec's current condition. What if Logan was right? What if he was already dead? The thought was unimaginable. And yet, it hadn't been all that long since Max had almost wished it on him. It had been just over a year since he had helped her escape Manticore, simply to infect Logan with a deadly disease. Just over a year since Alec had been leaning over her with a glinting knife in his hand, prepared to kill her for his own selfish ends. Just over a year since he had stolen her only real chance at acquiring the cure.

That was the old Alec. Manticore trained. A heartless killer. But life in the real world had softened his edges a little. Yes, he was still selfish, greedy and opportunistic. But he had just a little glint of empathy. Max had caught a glimpse of it when she had opened up about Ben. He would never be the ideal man. But he had your back. And that's what's important.

When Max and Joshua had reached the complex, they had also been surprised to find that the manhole lead straight to an unguarded courtyard. They pulled themselves up into the moonlight grounds. High, barbed fences encircled the area, but there was no sign of security cameras or floodlights. Even the windows remained dark. Max had figured that they probably didn't want to draw attention to the fact that the abandoned prison was active.

The two silent shadows had flowed across the courtyard and pressed themselves up to the wall next to a drainpipe. No words were spoken but a series of hand gestures had confirmed that they would attempt to gain entry through a window in the top floor. Max climbed first, followed slowly by her agile friend. At the top, Max had carefully pulled the window up and open and crept in. Joshua came in close behind.

Suddenly the natural night vision of the two transgenics was startled as a bright light was switched on. Joshua and Max adjusted their eyes then instinctively poised for a fight. At least ten men with various types of guns surrounded them in every direction. Some leaned up from their beds, topless or in vests. A few stood in an army-like uniform at the door in front of them. And a group of four had tipped up their card table when they had stood up to grab their guns. Poker chips streamed over the floor in a tidal wave, and the angry glimpse from one man's eyes suggested that he may have been winning. Max and Joshua had walked right into a barrack full of not so sleeping guards.

"What now Max?" Joshua had asked, suddenly aware that his fight and win strategy might not be going to plan. The guards creeped slowly towards them, guns poised and loaded. "I don't know!" Max hissed in reply, "We didn't have a plan remember." And moments before a new plan could be formed, Max abruptly saw the butt of a gun sweep towards her face. Red darkness streaked in front of her eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

For the first time since the fight, his military head returned. Alec scanned the room for materials or resources which might aid him in his escape. The bandages on his chest and leg were new, but already blood was seeping through the layers. Clean bandages would be needed. And some kind of antiseptic. He would also need a crutch or stick if he planned to get anywhere with his injured leg. Alec noted that the bandages were in a cabinet at the other side of the room. Also in the same cabinet there was a bottle of some kind of liquor, it would be good for more than one purpose. A crutch leaned by the bed. Obviously that lovely doctor wanted him up and on his feet as quickly as possible.

Alec leaned on the crutch as he lowered himself to the floor. At the contact of his right leg, he was struck frozen in pain. A mumbled curse word rasped past his breath in recognition. He let his foot drag along rather than putting weight on it as he picked up the necessaries and packed them up in a white doctors bag. Finally Alec grabbed the packed of aspirin beside his bed and swallowed a handful. It might take the edge off if nothing else.

Next, he scanned for anything that can be used as a weapon. His fist-fighting skills might not be up to scratch in his current condition. An ugly, bloodied knife collection hung on the wall. It included a scalpel, a large kitchen knife and a rusting saw. Alec tried not to think of the poor souls who have come face to face with the saw with nothing but an aspirin to ease their loss. He took the smaller knives, storing one in his waistband and one carefully in his boot. The exhaustion required to lean down and get the knife into his boot made Alec realise that maybe this wasn't such a good idea in this particular situation.

He was ready. All he had to do now was avoid or kill the hordes of inbred hicks guarding the facility, find a way out (hopefully conveniently marked emergency exit) , and hobble back to TC. Simple. "No problem" he panted. Alec allowed the edges of his trademark smirk to touch the edges of his lips as he turned to exit though he medical room door.

All of a sudden Alec was unexpectedly standing before a familiar face. "Young man." she frowned as she held a small black gun to his temple, "I thought I told you to rest."

"Look, just calm down there lady." Alec said holding an open palm to the doctor, proving that he was unarmed and harmless. In response the woman flipped the gun's safety switch off. Her message was clear but her movement betrayed her confidence; the gun shook nervously in her hands. In a better state of health, Alec could have easily grabbed the gun from her hands before she knew what was happening. But he wasn't. He would need to try a different strategy. Alec backed away slowly. "You don't want to shoot me." he said calmly, "You're a doctor." The woman stood steady, gun poised at his head. "Don't move!" she hissed, ignoring him.

In his newfound position of wakefulness, Alec looked at the female doctor in a new light. She was young and frail, unhealthily thin with drawn in cheeks, skeletal wrists and deep, dark circles under her eyes. This purely physical analysis gave Alec all the information he needed to jigsaw together the poor woman's entire life. She was clearly some kind of addict. She had gone in to the medical profession at a young age, graduated early. The pressure had been too much for her and she had turned to drugs. After some kind of neglect related accident, or having been found out by the hospital she was forced to leave and work on the black market to fuel her habit. Somewhere along that road, she had found herself forced, unwillingly to patch up captive transgenics, ready for their next fight.

The analysis was instantaneous, and it gave Alec all the information he needed to say the right words and give the right assurances. "I can get out of here." he purred, "get you some help." Alec was sure he could see the woman's eyes soften slightly, and the gun shake a little more. He took a few small steps towards her. "It must be awful," he continued to coo, "putting all this effort into making people better, just to watch them get killed. It must be soul destroying." He moved closer still, inches from the barrel. "Put down the gun." he said," put down the gun, and we'll both get out of here. It can be over."

The doctor looked impossibly sad for a moment. "Get out of here?" she mused softly to herself, "Get out of here?" There was a pause of thought, Alec was sure he had lulled her to his side. But her gun continued pointing at his head. "I could get out of here." she said, sounding firmer now, "But why on earth would I want to do that?" She was laughing now, a deep, yellow toothed laugh. "I love this job." she smirked, "I fix them if they ask me, and in return they give me the mortally wounded _animals._" she spat the word, "I get to do what I want with them." The woman took a step towards Alec and pushed the gun forward into his bloodied chest. Alec grimaced. "I watch them scream as I cut them." Her eyes lit up. "Do you know that you guys can keep screaming nearly a minute after I've ripped your heart out" The grinned, "Now that's what I call well made."

Alec suddenly and violently realized that he had got the wrong end of the stick with this woman. She could never be some poor victim of circumstance. Instead she was a heartless butcher. "Well made." Alec repeated, "You know, I think you're right." He was now within distance and within the blink of an eye Alec grabbed the gun from his chest and pushed the barrel backwards, twisting it from her hand and breaking her trigger finger in the process. The doctor fell to her knees, cradling her broken fingers. Without a moments thought, Alec instinctively put one hand on the woman's head and twisted. The snap echoed through the bloodstained room.

Carefully, Alec picked up the gun, stuffed it in his waistband, hobbled over the body and crept out the door.

* * *

When Max woke, she found herself in a small cell with both her wrists and ankles bound by metal cuffs. Her eyes professionally scanned the environment for weaknesses but she found none. There was also no sign that either Joshua or Alec had been in there. Max recollected that there had been three prisoner blocks at different ends of the complex, with three cells in each. Hesitantly she leaned on the nearest wall and knocked hard in an attempt to contact anyone in the cell to the side of her. The sound was dulled by the heavy concrete walls. Even if there was someone in there, there was no way they would hear her. "Great rescue this turned out to be." she sighed slumping on the floor grumpily. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Creeping around the facility in his present state didn't turn out as easy as he had hoped. Mere minutes worth of limping and dragging made Alec pant and wheeze painfully. Occasionally bubbles of blood were coughed up into his mouth where he was forced to swallow them in fear of leaving tracks. Armed guards seemed to be stationed at every corner causing his already slow movements to be hindered even further. And up until now there seemed to be a distinct lack of air ducts large enough to crawl through or doorways that lead outside. To make matters even worse, the mirage of Max just wouldn't get off his back.

As he was limping along a dim white corridor, Alec heard the dull footsteps of two guards and the murmur of conversation. There was no way around and the route behind him hadn't been successful do far so he opted to duck into a cubicle in the men's restroom in order to avoid detection. He pulled himself up on to the toilet seat and locked the door. There he sat, waiting patiently for heavy footsteps to fade away in the distance. "Hmm." lulled a familiar voice, "This doesn't look good. How do you plan to get out of this one." _She_ was there again leaning seductively against the cubicle wall, picking her nails with a knife and smiling cruelly.

Aware that this vision was simply a trick of his subconscious mind, Alec ignored the statement and continued listening carefully for any sound of movement outside. "You know…" the vision continued, refusing to be ignored, "you're going to have to think up something better than this if you plan to make it out alive." This vision seemed to be constantly tuned into the negatives of his current situation. Alec couldn't help but wonder why Manticore didn't just splice out woman's intrinsic need to nag.

Max causally stopped picking her nails and instead balanced the knife on the end of her finger. He face was deep in concentration "How long can you avoid the guards before you slip up?" she asked. And as if to make the point more poignant the mirage dropped the knife noisily on the floor. Alec cringed and held his breath, only 90 sure that the noise wasn't real.

"You look like hell." she continued, her ghostly fingers tracing the wound on his stomach. Alec thought he could feel the cold touch of her fingertips soothing his pain. He closed his eyes and learned his head back on the cubical wall, sighing loudly. Finally his imagination was giving him something to work with. For the first time since he had been lead to the wrestling ring Alec attempted to relax. He hadn't even realised how tense his muscles were. Now they felt like a weight was being lifted. His aches and pains were beginning to null and blue spots were floating lazily in front of his eyes.

Suddenly the soothing cold turned to hot searing pain as the ghostly fingers pushed heavily into the wound. "Wake up." she snapped. Alec tried to stifle a cry but a small grunt escaped. His eyes snapped open, and he was abruptly aware that he had only been moments from the welcoming darkness of unconsciousness. "You wont be living out the day with an attitude like that solder." Max suddenly asserted, "Don't close your eyes. Don't sit down, Don't stop." It was the familiar military voice Max had began to use in TC, since she had assumed the leadership role. Yet even when she shouted at the troops, there was an edge of kindness in her voice. Like she was merely mimicking the tone she had heard so often in Manticore. "You need to keep moving. Stay hidden or armed, and stay one step ahead of the enemy." she continued. "Start acting like a soldier…." There was a pause, as she finally released her hand from Alec's chest. "Or have you been living like a normal for too long now." The word 'normal' was spoken with such venom that Alec was sure he saw her eyes glint with red rage. "No." Alec stammered, he pulled himself as straight as he could manage, "No sir." The mirage smiled sweetly at him. "Well you'd better get moving." she smiled, "Someone's coming." With that she was gone.

The sound of slow footsteps coming nearer could be heard in the distance. Alec held his breath as he waited for them to fade off into the distance. He pulled himself off his seat to a standing position, poised and ready to make his exit when the guards were far enough away. But instead they stopped just outside the door. The two men stood chatting an unrecognisable conversation for an instant and one set of footsteps began to tread away into the distance. Moments later the creaking of the bathroom door opening could be heard. He was coming in. Alec watched as the brown boots padded past his cubicle towards the urinals. Alec carefully and stealthily unlocked his door and crept out. He creeped painstakingly towards the door, resting his hand on it to open.

Then he changed his mind. The door was too creaky, he was sure to be found. Alec slinked back and positioned himself just behind the guard. The guard continued to urinate ignorantly, sighing in relief. Silently Alec pulled the knife from his trousers and held it to the mans throat. "Call out and you wont live long enough to see yourself hit the ground." Alec warned wheesily. The man stayed silent. "How do I get out of here?" he demanded. The guard remained silent for more than a moment and then he stated simply, "So one of you animals escaped?" Alec pulled the knife harder towards his throat, enough that the man could feel it, but not enough to spill blood. He repeated the question. The man gasped, unable to get the words out while the knife still rested so close to his throat. Alec pulled it away slightly. "You don't." the guard finally grunted in reply. "You die."

With that the man turned quickly. Too quickly for Alec in his weakened state. He caught Alec off guard with a swift kick to the leg and sent him falling heavily on the floor. This knee connected hard with the tile, but he refused to let himself call out. Instead he lifted his good leg and circled it under his attacker sending him flying. The guard looked stunned as he fell backwards and hit his head against the wall. A fountain of blood spattered the walls and ceiling. Finally he lay motionless on the floor. His head lay at an awkward angle in the stained urinal as his face turned a deathly grey.

This was not as he had planned. Alec looked at the river of blood flowing down the floor towards him. It followed the tile lines making a chequered pattern on the floor. This would be difficult to cover up. It was useless to even waste his energy making an attempt. Instead he pulled himself over and searched through the dead man's pockets. There he found a packet of gum, a set of keys and a crumpled piece of paper. Alec opened up the paper. It seemed to be filled with a list of different phone numbers, maybe it was a code for something. Whatever the significance, he kept the keys and the paper. He left the man with his gum, the concept of stealing a dead mans gum seemed far to inhumane for even the inhuman.

Slowly pulling himself up on his crutch, Alec made a swift exit and headed further down the corridor. The isle was lined with heavy metal doors. They had small slits at the bottom of each door for passing food through. These were the cells. Alec immediately remembered the guards words "One of you animals escaped?" he had said. That would imply there were others.

Achingly, Alec lowered himself to the ground. He examined the keys that he had stolen from the guard until he found one the right size for the food slot. He peeked through. Nothing. The next door. Nothing, But as Alec looked through the third and final door in the corridor, he saw something familiar.

At first he only saw the boots and trousers. But as he looked further up the body he found that he recognised the way the prisoner sat, he recognised the way her back curved and shoulders rested. He recognised full lips and deep eyes staring back at him. "Alec!" she shouted, her face brightened and she projected herself across the floor on her stomach, "You're alive!" she smiled, "You need to get us out of here."

Alec smiled. Then frowned. "You again." he grumbled. He slammed the food trap shut and pulled himself back to his feet. "Just leave me alone." He said as he began limping away, "I've had enough of your advice today. Stupid ghost" And as he disappeared round the corner a puzzled Max heard him mutter, "I wouldn't even mind it so much if I made you naked."

* * *

Max wasn't sure if she believed what she just saw. Alec had been right there, looking through the hatch. She had even heard him jingling keys as he unlocked and re-locked the hatch. Why did he just walk away?

For a few brief moment Max let allowed herself to be smothered in self-pity. Maybe she had been too rough on him in the past, maybe he wanted revenge. Maybe he resented her so much that he was happy just to leave her to her demise. After worrying about their relationship for more than a few minutes, Max slowly began to crawl out the treacle of self pity and returned to the cold reality. A solder would never deliberately leave another man behind. They had been trained to be mercenaries, but they had also had been intrinsically programmed to look after their own. Anyway, Max had always figured that Alec had secretly liked their bickering and resentment. It gave them an excuse to be around one another. In addition to this, Max noted, he had been bumbling and muttering like a madman when he walked away. He must have been drugged.

No matter the reason or excuse the facts remained the same. Their roles had now been well and truly reversed. Alec was now wandering around the complex while Max was locked up and imprisoned. Max struggled against her wrist and ankle cuffs with no avail. "Oh well" she said with confidence, "I've been in worse situations." Her face wrinkled as she failed to actually recall a worse situation. Instead she decided on a different outlook. "I'm screwed" she sighed.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

As Alec continued to stammer around the complex, narrowly missing guard after guard after guard, he began to realize that his situation possibly required a little more sense urgency. Though the delirious mirage of Max hadn't reappeared since the prison cell, he felt that he was slowly beginning to lose his grip on reality. His blood-deficient brain was no longer seeing things clearly; the world seemed to have a smudged rim to it, and his vision was as if he was swaying from side to side causing a nauseous sense of sea sickness. The dizziness hindered his sense of direction, and at several points Alec couldn't quite tell if he had been in the same passage before. He also felt that his aching leg would soon point blank refuse to carry his weight.

Alec leaned up against the wall for support and continued to shuffle his way along the corridors until he came across a familiar set of prison cells. He stopped silently in his tracks and a small rush of adrenaline enabled his to stand independently. There he saw three particularly large looking men, each holding different weapons, and one holding a long metal lasso. Luckily they hadn't yet noticed him. The three men stood outside one of the cells lewdly chuckling. Clearly another captured transgenic was inside the cell, and who-ever that was, he was mere moments away from a visit to the blood ring.

In a normal situation, this would have been a fairly easy set up. Alec had the element of surprise, superior training, strength and agility. As he silently watched, Alec traced the steps he could take. He could run up behind the first man and before the blubbering giant would know what had hit him, a good blow to the back of the head would take him out. Next he would grab the weapon from his fallen enemy and smash it across the face of the second man. He would fall like a collapsing building, possibly knocking the final man off balance. But the last guy, he would put up a bit of a fight. The last guy would have delusions of grandeur. Alec would have to dramatically dodge and dive the punches, before a final piercing kick to the face.

It would have been easy. The only consideration Alec would need to give was the strength of the hits. And that would be directly dependant on how much he thought they deserved to live. His core Manticore system was constantly reminding him that a dead enemy was one less to deal with. But since his escape from Manticore he seemed to have this little restless angel sitting on his shoulder constantly nagging him that to be human, is not to kill everyone that gets in your way. Max had an unusually strong empathy for a test-tube soldier. Her harassment had been tireless and most recently he had been in the habit of letting the worms live.

But that was before 'humanity' began to wage an undeserved war against his people, lynching transgenics and showing them off like you would show off a prized fish, father and son both grinning for the camera. It was before Normals had brought him here and forced him to kill for the sake of sport and gambling. That had been before he had been stabbed, beaten up and skewered in front of foaming spectators then stitched up again by a sadistic Frankenstein. That was before.

This was now. And now Alec was sore, tired and fed up. Carefully he pulled out his stolen gun, precisely aimed and sent three bullets expertly sliding through the heads of the unsuspecting enemy. They didn't even have time look shocked as they heaped to the floor. He had been on holiday for a while. But in the last few hours he had began to fairly rack up the body count.

He would have to move swiftly. The kills had been swift. But they had been noisy, and there would be guards running towards his position almost immediately. Quickly Alec limped towards the metal cell door. He leaned on it as he took his hand of his crutch to search though the key set. The first key he tried wouldn't fit, and the second didn't turn, but on his third attempt the door clicked open. Slowly he pulled the door open to reveal the trapped prisoner inside.

"Joshua!" Alec laughed, "Hey big guy. I am glad to see you!"

"Alec." smiled the cuffed transgenic shyly, "Joshua, and Max here to rescue you."

"Doing a good job." Alec replied as he sorted through the keys to unlock his friend's wrists and ankles, "Max is here too?" He looked around the cell for any trace of Max. "Is she with you?" he asked, even though it was clear that the rest of the cell was empty.

"Joshua and Max caught, " growled the reply, "Max taken…. taken to different place. Different prison"

As Alec turned the key to release Joshua's arms from behind his back, the sickening realization dropped like a bead of poisoned mercury into the depths of his stomach. Max from the cell. She had been real. He had left her behind. "I know where she is." he said urgently, "We need to go back for her." If he was too late, he would never forgive himself

* * *

Maybe an hour had passed since the strange encounter with a delirious Alec, and Max's situation had not yet improved. She had heard increased movements and shouting from outside the cell, so they had probably discovered that Alec escaped. And few moments ago she also thought she heard the faint and distant sound of a firing gun. The noise had sent a shiver through her core. She hoped Alec was ok.

But a few minutes after the gunfire Max heard the noise of footsteps outside cell. She pulled herself up to a standing position, ready to fight what-ever might come through the door.

The key turned.

Max tensed.

The door opened.

Standing at the door were two tall figures. Max immediately recognized them simply by their stance and smell. "You!" she said, "Don't you dare touch me." A look of mock hurt passed the face of the shorter man. "Maxie." he said sadly, "I'm hurt, we've always got on so well." A sadistic grin then formed on his face. Max spat and hit him just below his eye , "I should have known this had something to do with you White." she hissed.

White and a familiar cult loon continued to point their guns towards Max. They stepped forward carefully. "Oh Maxie," he grinned, "This has nothing to do with me. This little 'charity' was set up completely independently. Just a bunch of organized rednecks really. But I've been keeping my eye on them. And I've got myself a special guest invite for your fight tonight." He wiped the spit from his cheek, "I could kill you now of course." he continued, "But this… this is so much more… humiliating."

White pulled the trigger and Max was sent flying to the floor as volts cursed through her body immobilizing her completely. She was helpless as she watched White's assistant lean over her and slip a metal lasso around her neck. "This is for every time you humiliated me 452," White stated. He then leaned over to face Max and spat cruelly in her face.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Alec leaned heavily on Joshua as the two transgenics carefully waded through the body littered corridor. As he stepped over the hunks of meat and pools of blood, Joshua barely showed any sign of a reaction. In akin in Alec, Joshua of late, had also seemed to have lost the sense of compassion towards humans that Max had instilled into him during his months of freedom. Many thought that the animal spliced Manticore creations such as Joshua were more in tune with their base animal instincts, it was thought that they were less susceptible to base human instincts such as regret, fear or pity. But perhaps it was more to do with the light of humanity inside him that had dared to fall in love only to find her maliciously murdered. Alec doubted that the guilt Joshua felt towards Annie would ever fade or his lust for revenge ever falter. Either way he showed no sign of either disapproval or shock as he helped Alec avoid the blood puddles.

Alec and Joshua had barely stumbled two paces down the corridor before the first wave of guards could be heard storming noisily towards them. As a team they could probably fight of as many armed patrols as the organisation could provide. Alec may not have been in fighting form, but he did now have a selected range of weaponry stolen from the numerous enemies he had killed. Joshua, in turn, had enough rage, skill and brute strength to pull apart the men as a child pulls apart a wish bone. They would fight triumphantly, or die a glorious solders death.

But that was not the plan. First the plan was to free Max. And a war, at the moment at any rate, was unlikely to help them find her location, or rescue her safely.

Without any need for negotiation the two men changed direction and slid down the corridor. Behind them, they could hear loud shouts and curses of revenge as the men came across the sprawled bodies. Once again Alec found himself ducking into a nearby doorway. But this time there was no stealth or art to his avoidance technique. Joshua had decided to kick in a locked door, sending shards shattering across the floor as the heavy metal door slammed to the floor. Alec barely had time to take in his surroundings before he felt Joshua grab him and push him roughly against the wall. Joshua then slid a large metal locker in front of him, sandwiching him between the wall and the locker.

It was a cunning hiding place, aided only by the fact that there was a small recess at the back of the locker, causing it to lie almost smoothly against the wall as long as Alec pulled his body in tightly. Standing straight was no easy matter in his condition, but he continued to fight against his increasingly wearying body. Alec never heard where Joshua hid but he guessed that he must have found a suitable position, as when the guards barged in to the room moments later, only the command to search the room could be heard. Next sounds of smashing and opening and raking. At one point Alec felt his locker shudder as someone opened it quickly and examined the contents.

At that moment Alec closed his eyes, calmed his heartbeat and held his breath. He willed his bodily functions to slow down to rate that even doctors would have to get a second opinion to check his vitals. It was a Manticore trick, to be used if they were captured, no one cuffs the dead, no one interrogates the dead. This was less than reassuring to a race that were mostly hunted for their genetic encoding. No one anesthetises the dead. But at times where complete stillness and silence were required, the tranced state was easy. Easier at that moment than most as, in his present state of health, that level wasn't all that far from reality. Indeed, when the locker stopped shuddering and the thundering footsteps seemed to exit through the door, Alec found it more than a little difficult to bring himself back to regularity.

In the end it was Joshua who pulled him out of his hiding place. "You ok?" Joshua whispered. His eyes were looking more and more worried as Alec fell straight down on his knees. "I'll be fine." he replied reassuringly, slowly staggering to his feet like a drunk refusing help home, "We'll get out of here just as soon as we find Max."

"Joshua found something." the dog-like transgenic said, there was even a glint of a smile on his face, "Not Max, but something good." Joshua pointed to a locker. On the front was a very old, battered and abused topless calendar. Miss March was a long haired brunette with low cut jeans. "Joshua, this really isn't the time." Alec cringed. "No silly." Joshua laughed embarrassed giving Alec a playful, and painful, nudge on the shoulder. He walked over and opened the locker.

There, in the locker was enough explosives to take out the entire complex three times over. "Perfect." Smiled Alec, the thought of blowing this place to pieces even allowing him a faint smile, "But first we find Max."

* * *

Max was worried, but quietly confident as she stood in the cage surrounded by a vicious mob of sweating norms. Persuasion was her art. Single-handidly Max had managed to persuade other transgenics of the importance of peace and respect. She had converted Alec from a thoughtless murderer into a loyal protector. She had persuaded victimised and blood thirsty transgenic to deal with the Jam Pony situation as peacefully as possible, and had negotiated with doctors, scientists and gangs in order to get their services in complete secrecy, with great risks to their own lives. Max was confident that whoever came through that door and into the cage, she would be able to talk them down. And if she couldn't, she would revert to her other specialty, and would beat them into a bloody pulp.

And yet this confidence withered and died as her enemy was escorted into the ring, Four gasping, struggling men were trying their best to drag the growling beast into the room. Her competitor was clearly and visibly a transgenic. His perfectly designed muscles pulsed and throbbed. His had dark emotionless eyes analyzed his prey. He moved like a true predator, every step poised and perfected. He was almost twice the average size and a thin drizzle of saliva fell from his muzzled mouth. But this was no ordinary transgenic. This creature was undeniably a dog. A transgenic god. With sharpened teeth and claws and powerful jaws. Every non-essential process had been genetically replaced with brutality.

Max had heard of these creatures back in Manticore. They were rumors. Sometimes threatened as a punishment, but ultimately believed as a myth. In contrast to the X series who were humans with a little animal cocktail added to the mix, these creatures were fabled to be animals with just a little human DNA. Just enough to make them stronger, faster and more logical. Max had always been a little frightened of the monster, especially as Ben loved to tell of them in his moonlight horror stories. Even when she had escaped as a child, she would sometimes have nightmares of scratching dogs at the door. But when she had blown up the Manticore base with no sign of the animals, she had finally accepted that they were simply stories.

She was wrong.

It would seem that negotiations would have to be abandoned as a strategy. And Max wasn't entirely sure her second plan was going to be of any real use. In an elegant and dignified manner Max tipped an imaginary hat at her opponent then spoke the most horrific and vile swear word she could conjure.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

As Joshua and Alec attempted to leave the room they had barricaded themselves into, they realised that the corridor was full of people. Not only the guards, who were fully in force, probably due to the current body count. But there seemed to be a high level of civilian wanderers. Wandering in the same direction with beer and gambling slips in hand. Both Joshua and Alec knew what it meant.

Joshua growled quietly. His rage was clear, his hands clenched almost to the point of drawing blood, his teeth gritting, and an ever increasing shudder. "We should fight." he said quietly, "Alec has guns, Joshua has fists. We have explosives. We can fight." The thought of Max being in the same situation he had been a night earlier simultaneously made Alec's blood boil and freeze with fear. He had barely escaped with his life, and the jury was really still out in that one. But that was no excuse for recklessness.

"No, starting a gun war won't help Max. They'll kill her before we could get near." Alec sighed and rubbed his temple. This day just didn't seem to be improving at all. It reminded him of one of his Manticore missions. He and his team had been caught. Three of the four had managed to escape from their shackles, but the fourth member of the team was being brutally interrogated by the enemy. It was impossible to get past all the guards and security to rescue him. Alec had felt a failure as a leader, and a failure as a soldier. But in the end he did his duty. He put a bullet through his team-mates head. It was the only sure way of preventing him leaking information. He found out a few years later that it had been a Manticore test. He guessed he must have passed.

Alec came out in a cold sweat at the memory. Things that seemed so routine at Manticore were now so inhuman. Those days were supposed to be behind him now. A distant memory which only recurs in the dark of the night where all shadowed memories live and lurk. Yet here he was, once again. A failure as a leader, a failure as a soldier and a failure as a friend. Facing impossible odds in a hopeless situation. Not hopeless. It just seemed hopeless. There's always a way. Some way out of it. Usually the most obvious are the hardest to see. They hide in plain sight, camouflaged into their surroundings.

Alec brightened and pushed himself forward away from the wall. "I've got a plan." he stated simply.

* * *

The beast-like dog was lead into the ring and strapped to the side while the handlers retreated to safety and locked the cage door. The shrieks and yells of the euphoric crowd seemed to enhance as the beast pulled and tore against his shackles, barking and growling in Max's direction. A warm spray of spittle landed on her face and shirt.

Max shivered. Even the presence of a dog made her skin crawl. Too much cat DNA in her mix. And the concept of being eaten, didn't really seem intriguing. The concept of being eaten in front of a gang of mindless norms seemed even less appealing. And what made the situation just that little bit less attractive was the leering face of White grinning from the front row. He waved his betting sheet in his hand. As Max looked at him he mouthed a smug, "Good luck Max." over the din of the crowd and chuckled.

Max tried to dismiss the poisonous feeling of his piercing eyes with no avail. It wasn't until she felt her hands, legs and throat being released, that she fully switched to survival mode. She had only a moment to poise and prepare herself before her opposition was similarly freed. The beast immediately charged at her. Max jumped. Any other base animal would have continued on his path, unable to stop, until his head barged into the metal cage. But this was no base animal. The creature saw her movement with his enhanced eyes and leaped to meet her in mid air. The meet was brutal, as the animals' glistening jaws aimed straight towards her throat. Max grabbed his face and twisted it sending him plunging towards the floor face first. The animal landed heavily. "First blood to me." Max panted as she landed gracefully, taking any small victory she could get.

But the victory wasn't to last. The creature was fast, agile and bright. Although weapons of various size and use were littered about he cage wall, the beast wouldn't let her get near them. He ran in with blow after blow after blow, aware that she had no weapons to match his razor teeth and claws. Max dodged, ducked, dived and jumped until her strength and stamina began to fade. The beast, however, seemed as energetic as ever.

The blows began to come more heavy and more accurately. Her usual effortless dodging became sloppy and the beast managed to get his piercing claws across her stomach. Max called out. The crowd cheered. She fell forward. The beast jumped her from behind and bit her in the shoulder. The teeth went in deep, and she could feel them scraping against bone. She tried to grab his head, but he bit deeper into her flesh. In a panicked effort Max plunged two fingers straight into the beast eye. He let go and roared with pain.

But the effort was too little too late. The partially blinded creature still had the upper hand as Max tried to bring herself to her feet. He lunged at her and landed her on her back. He jumped on her chest and began clenching his claws into the meat.

Max finally began to give up. It hurt, not just physically, but emotionally to lose. Loosing was not a game she had ever played, she had never really experienced it. Now that she was trying it out for the first time she realized, with little surprise, that is sucked.

She held her breath and waited for the deadly blow. In those moments the world seemed to slow down. All her senses heightened. She could feel the searing agony as the beasts claws dug deeper into her body, either blood or saliva could be felt dripping from her chest. She could smell blood, and fur and stale sweaty men, and beer. And she could hear the leering crowd cheering and yelling, some telling her to get up, others screaming for the kill. And one strange little voice. This voice wasn't calling for blood…. He was calling out for a BBQ? Max turned her head and saw a twinkle and a smirk from the side of the ring. "Fancy a hot dog?" he asked.

Then everything went white.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The explosion had been so near that Max was temporarily deafened by the blow. She watched as the silent world panicked. Max and the beast were blown to the opposite side of the cage as the two walls nearest the explosion fell to the floor. The beast was down, but he was not unconscious.

Max watched as the creature shook itself then directed his vision of sight to the spectators. He recognized that the faces were those of his captors and leapt through the smoke towards the crowd. Max watched in silence as the creature ripped and tore his way through three unsuspecting men. Sending gore and blood in a fountain through the air. Max watched as the beast came across her mortal enemy, White. White had a gun in his hand and, although she never heard it, the recoil suggested that he fired three bullets at the animal. Three shots before the creature managed to clamp his jaws around White's head. Max grimaced. Such a horrible way to go. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

And then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw the smiling face of Alec. He was deathly pale, and deep black pits circled his eyes. But they still sparkled like diamonds when he smiled. He was wearing a beer stained black hooded top with the words "Massacre the Mutants!" emblazoned on the front. He must have looked the part as he simply strolled in to the room full of gore hungry gamblers.

Max's hearing was slowly beginning to return and she heard him in a faraway voice tell her that they needed to get out of there fast. Max pulled herself painfully to her feet, cradling her wounded chest. She would liked to have grabbed Alec for support, but by the look of him he could barely manage the strain standing himself, never mind pulling someone else along.

The beer filled, horrified norms were going crazy. Those with guns were shooting wildly at the beast, at the escaping transgenics and at each other. Some were fleeing towards the single exit, crushing and trampling others as they scrambled for freedom. And to make matters worse, explosions from numerous points around the complex shook the room and sending deadly rubble tumbling from the ceilings. Alec's head raised like a mir-cat at the sound of explosions. "Joshua." he breathed.

Max pulled herself up and she and Alec awkwardly jumped of the broken cage and into the crowd. On imapact Max immediately slipped on the pool of blood still quietly streaming from White's beheaded body. Max slipped to her knees painfully, aggravating her chest wounds. It seemed even in death White was adamant to make her life more difficult. Alec once again offered his hand to help her up, and once again it was apparent that the gesture was simply that. Instead she pulled herself up in the lifeless body.

As Max pulled herself up, the corpse took her place as it slumped on the floor. Even in the chaos of the moment, Max found herself momentarily staring at the dead body of her mortal enemy. His gruesome death a fitting reaction to his gruesome life. Max stared, and hoped that the hate she emitted from her eyes could speed his progress though the underworld and into the circle he belonged. She only snapped back into the reality of the matter when she felt a cold hand touch her side. "You ok?" Alec asked. Max rubbed her face with blood-soaked hands to awake herself from her trance. "I'm fine." she replied, "Lets get out of here."

Max began to walk into the berserking crowd but noticed that Alec had stopped. He was knelt over White and pulled a white piece of paper from his clenched hand. " I was just interested, " he explained as he read the betting slip. "Couldn't have been that bad a guy after all," Alec explained, handing the evidence to Max, "He put two grand on you to win." Max smiled for the first time since she first got the news of Alec disappearance. If anyone was going to make her giggle in the face of danger, it was Alec. "If I knew he was such a fan I would have asked him to be my personal trainer so much sooner." she shrugged. Alec smiled in return, "Nah, he's been out of the game to long, don't think he's got the head for it anymore." he grinned.

And then it was back to business.

Alec and Max sidestepped a couple of dismembered limbs and a puddle of blood while dodging incoming fire from a group of military dressed men in the far side of the room. Luckily their attire didn't match their training, the bullets went wide and ripped through the shoulder of a terrified spectator. Two men then rushed at the escaping transgenics with gleaming knives and armored fists. Max easily took down the first man with a block and a punch to the side of the head. The man holding a knife wasn't so lucky as Alex simply slipped it from his hand and plunged it into his stomach.

Somewhere in the distance the beast screamed his dying call and thumped to the floor, his body as hole filled as a magicians sword box.

Then the chaos began to organize itself again. There was no longer running, and screaming. The explosions had stopped. Now there was only two real targets, and those targets were wounded. Max clocked as the norms began to edge towards them, weapons in hands, blood shot eyes gleaming. Furious, bloodied men crawled back in huge cracks in the wall created by the explosions. Fresh air at least began to circulate in the death filled room.

As the crowd began to gather around them Alec and Max found themselves backed into a corner. In a moment of weakness Max felt herself grab onto Alec jumper sleeve. "What kind of rescue is this supposed to be?" she complained. Alec shrugged a casual shrug, "A heck of a lot better than yours turned out to be." he answered, "At least mine….."

Alec was cut out as the butt of a gun slammed harshly into his head, followed by a jab to the chest. Max watched as Alec fell down. And stayed down.


	14. Chapter 14

Sometimes a Manticore soldier would take a fall. Sometimes weakness was a tactical advantage. Sometimes if your enemy thought you were down for the count, they would take their attention away from you for the split second you needed to pounce up and break their neck from behind. And sometimes, only very occasionally, and in the most extreme circumstances, a Manticore solder would go down, because they were hurt bad.

Alec was deathly silent. His chest was occasionally moving up and down in harsh, ragged movements. His ghostly complexion was fading from a sickly white colour, to an even more deathly grey and his leg lay in an awkward angle across the floor. If he was faking, he was doing a particularly good job. Nobody, expected Alec to be getting up from that one. Not even Max.

It was like Ben all over again. She may not have dealt the final blow this time, but she certainly hadn't done anything productive to stop it. She may have even made it worse by trying to intervene, again. Alec had been out, he could have escaped. But instead he came to protect her. Max felt a pain in her chest like it was caving in on itself. She wanted to shout, and scream and cry until there were no more tears to fall. But instead she did as she was trained.

She inhaled that energy and turned it into rage.

The first grisly man didn't even know what hit him. The force from her fist came so fast and unexpectedly, it felt like being hit in the face by a truck. The second found a new appreciation for his shin bones as they splintered and sent his massive frame collapsing like a crumbling building. The third flew back as an artistic flourish of blood exploded from his nose and painted the walls. Hot anger burst from every muscle, bone and breath as she punched, slashed and ripped through the crowd.

But like the beast which had fought so valiantly, a greater number can beat even the most brutal force, and slowly the mob began to take control over the helpless Transgenic again. They fought her back against the wall again and the men pinned her arms down where they could do no danger.

Max's attention was suddenly stolen as one of the gorilla like men grabbed Max by the throat, lifted and squeezed harshly. "Hey you little slut," he spat. A dirty bloodied hand brushed itself against Max's face almost tenderly, "We're gonna make you wish you had been eaten in the cage girly". Ugly giggles of anticipation tittered round the group as they realised what there new leader intended. "You think your so special mutie" he continued, his evil eyes concentrating fully on Max, "I can make you feel like nothing, " he sneered, "and then my friends here will make you feel like less than nothing.

Fear was an emotion that Max wasn't accustomed to. But it was an emotion that had passed through her body more than once in the last few hours. She was learning to accept it, use it and deny it. Max tried to say something sarcastic and vicious, but not even a squeak of air could pass through her throat.

Instead a familiar ally made the comment for her. She heard the soothing cock of a gun. A shot gun from the sound of it and a smooth, calm, strong male voice said "Touch her and I'll make you understand the pain of childbirth…tenfold."

The hairy repulsive man released his grip on max and she fell a couple of inches to the ground. Instantly she poised back into her combat position, hands up ready for a fight. But all of the men were retreating. Their hands were raised and their weapons dropped to the ground. They backed up against the wall, and for the first time, Max got to see the familiar face of her rescuer.

Shart. And the rest of the transgenic from the base. They were all over the complex, guns in hands. Joshua was with them, growling and swiping the odd unsuspecting captive. No wonder the gorillas were so keen to drop their weapons. If one or two transgenic could cause this much chaos, imagine how much fifty heavily armed killing machines could do.

Shart gave a cheeky grin a shrugged his shoulders, "We changed our minds" he sighed, "and brought backup". Then his smile faded and turned very serious. "You look hurt." he claimed anxiously, "We need to get you back to base. We have three trucks out back. Did you find Alec?"

Alec!

Where was he?

The last time she had seen him he was…

exactly where he lay motionless and grey right now.

"We need a medic!" she called, suddenly very panicked, "NOW!"


	15. Chapter 15

Alec woke from cloaking darkness into a world of white hot pain and noise. His whole body ached and throbbed with agony. He opened his eyes wearily, but struggled to focus on anything in particular. Everything was too groggy to make sense. He lying flat in a grey room, but it was moving and bumping and rattling underneath him. And turning. He felt gravity pull him from side to side, wrenching at stitches and cuts as he moved. A van, He was in a van of some sort. Lying on the floor with a blanket beneath him.

There were figures moving about him, talking with raised voices and prodding at his wounds carefully. Their faces were like smudged oil paintings. Featureless and fuzzed. Except Max. She leaned over him and stroked his cheek. Her perfect features smiled and glistened. For a moment, just a moment, the pains and aches seeped away and Alec allowed himself to indulge in the fantasy of being with her.

He had enjoyed that game a little too much. After the initial feeling of annoyance at being drawn into Max and Logan's frankly ridiculous love affair, Alec had began to cherish the moments he spent pretending to be with her. A quick peck on the cheek, or a holding hand, a squeeze or a smile whenever Logan was near. Even in his distaste for the spoiled goody two shoes, and the even greater distaste for the way he made Max look at him, Alec had began to look forward to Logans little trips to TC. And, of course, the pretend relationship opened up so many doors to cheeky insults and playful digs.

But she was here with him now, wasn't she? Maybe there was a small element of reciprocation in her fantasies? Maybe that was why she had chosen to pretend she was with him? Freud would have a field day with that one…. Especially with the whole blame the parents for everything psycho schematics.

"How you feeling baby?" Max purred, continuing to stroke Alec gently.

"Not great" Alec managed to groan in reply.

Strangely, Max smiled in response.

The ghostly faceless figure in the background leaned over Alec and shined a torch in his eyes, "Alec? Is that you? Try not to talk, stay still." He said. The voice was familiar. Kaden, an X5 medic from TC.

"At least you made it out alive." Max continued, apparently ignoring Kaden completely, "You would never have managed that without me."

"Some rescuer… you were." Alec drawled groggily.

"Look…. I'm sorry Alec. We thought you were dead. We didn't think it was worth the risk." came the response form Kaden, "It was tactically flawed to send a whole team to…. Look… we're sorry Alec."

Alec was confused, he looked closely at Max and the realisation hit him. "You.." he breathed deeply and painfully, "aren't Max, are you?"

"No, Max is in the other van," Replied Kaden, "It's X782... Kaden."

Max smiled. "Rumbled." she said jokingly. The ghost of Max lifted her legs and positioned herself over Alec, straddling playfully as medics continued to work on his wounds. "But I'm so much more fun." she cooed,

Alec was fed up with his sarcastic, vicious guardian angle, no matter how hot she might make herself look. "Go away" he groaned.

"Sshh, try to get some rest," Kaden replied. Alec closed his eyes in an attempt to get rid of the mirage, but he could still feel her. Her warm body learning over his and her hot breath whispering in his ear. "Now that's no way to show your gratitude." she complained. Alec felt her warm body lean heavily into his wounds causing him to start and open his eyes in pain. He pressure was so strong he couldn't breath. He lurched and writhed in an attempt to get the ghost off him. In the distance he could hear the concerned voice of Kaden.

Max was inches from his face, eyes red hot with anger, "If it wasn't for me you would be dead you ungrateful wart." she hissed, "You would have given up and died sitting on a god damn toilet seat. So show some manners" She leaned up again. Instantly the weight relieved itself from Alec's chest. He could breath, but it was as if breathing through a pillow, laboured and a total exertion. Alec tried to talk, say something jagged in response to her attack, but the effort was painstaking, and he eventually gave up.

"Of course, all my efforts were probably futile." Max looked Alec up and down his entire body. "I know you're a gambler Alec, and I'll give you a little insider advice." She leaned in close again and smiled viciously, "I wouldn't put a cent on you."

Leaning up again, Max began to trace the lines of bruises, cuts and stitching on Alec's chest with a soft movement of her fingers. "I'll be blunt. You're probably going to die…. Yes, I know, what a waste of the tax payers millions," she grinned, " And a waste of such a nice little bod. But just incase you don't pop your clogs , I have some more insider advice."

The mirage pulled a piece of paper from her cleavage, it was stained with blood stained fingerprints and crumpled into a ball. When she unravelled it, Alec recognised what she was holding. The paper he had found in the complex. He knew the paper was still in the pocket of his jeans. He could feel it. She held some kind of replica. He had completely forgotten about it. It held lists of numbers, some sort of code maybe.

"Have a good look Alec," she purred. Alec looked, but he didn't know what he was looking for. His face must have imitated his confusion because she held it closer. "Have a good look, "she demanded, "I'm sure you'll se something familiar in there." Alec looked, and looked and looked… and saw. Alec's face filled with realisation and then turned to anger. Max grinned her famous grin. He didn't want to believe it. But it was definitely there! As plain as daylight! "But…" he stammered, "How…"

"I'm sorry Alec, I'm going to have to sedate you." Kaden explaned quickly as he slid in the needle. The mirage gave a sad little wave and made a little sulky face as her shape began to blow away like dust, "Bye Alec. Won't be seeing you." she said silkily, "Good luck, you'll need it."

Alec barely saw her go before he drifted once again into absorbed darkness.


	16. Chapter 16

By the time Max arrived back at TC, the medics had already began operating on Alec. There was no time to clean down a room to hospital conditions, they had simply cleared a table and got to work. Hopefully his transgenic immunities would protect him from infection. Kaden peeled and cut off Alec's clothes and bandages to reveal the full extent of his injuries. None of the transgenics appeared shocked or upset when looking at the gaping wounds, smeared blood, protruding bones, black bruises, terrible ripped stitches and the small bubbling fountain of blood confirming Kaden's suspicions of a burst lung . They had seen and accepted horror as a natural part of life. They couldn't be shocked by the wounds. They were simply filled with a deep feeling of helplessness.

Kaden was the first to get to work. His first main priority was the blood loss. Alec's skin was as colourless as a dead body. Numerous transfusions would probably be necessary. Luckily there was no lack of volunteers to donate, Joshua and Max were amongst them.

"Sorry Max, your off the list." Kaden explained in a matter of fact way, "Your injured. The last thing I need is_ you_ collapsing in the middle of a transfusion."

"But…" Max began to protest. Her feeling of helplessness sinking even further.

"But nothing." Kaden looked up at Max with sympathetic eyes. "You can't help here." he said, "Go take a seat and I'll send someone to patch you up." He then turned and addressed the rest of the crowd who had began to gather. "And that's the same for the rest of you," he said, "My team need space to work here, everyone else get out. Joshua, you can be the first for the transfusion"

The troop obeyed the command and began to mill away, gossiping voices fading into dark corridors.

"Did you see those stitches, like a god damn horror movie."

"He's already dead, look at the colour of him."

"Of course he'll make it, its Alec."

"No way! Look at him, ain't nobody coming back from that."

"Did you hear they found White's body, no head!"

"I heard that Max ripped it off with her bare hands."

"I recon I could have won if I fought in a death match."

"Stop being a moron. They were killing transgenics for TV."

"Dean said that the clear up squad shot dead everyone left in the complex."

"That'll teach the humans. Noone'll try that game again."

Max slumped onto a seat at the far end of the room and buried her head in her hands. In a small state of meditation she tried to drown out the worried commands coming from the operating table. Moments later a female medic came over to tend to her wounds. A few stitches, a cold compress and a packet of pain killers were all that were needed. The medic worked carefully and silently, as if avoiding the obvious question. "How's he doing?" Max asked finally. The woman smiled sympathetically. "We're doing what we can." she explained, "If we had gotten there just a bit earlier…."

"You would have been there a bit earlier," Max snapped back, unable to hold back her resentment, "If you had followed me on the rescue mission like I had asked."

The medic made no move to reply. There was no reply that could cause anything but an argument, so she simply finished stitching and began holding the cold compress to one of Max's many bruises.

Max waited for an answer, waited for the medic to give her some pathetic excuse. She needed a reason to be angry, she needed someone to vent her rage and frustration on. But it was clear that the medic would not allow herself to be that victim. Max snatched the cold compress from the medic, unable to bear the sustained silence. "I'm going for a shower." she spat, "Report to me the instant their's any news."

Max marched out the room, ensuring not to look at the busy medics working on her way out. She calmly walked to the shower block. There were no other transgenics there, the changing room was empty. Slowly she undressed and climbed into one of the showers, closing the hard wooden door behind her. The water was hot, it ran over her wounds and aches, cleansing them. The shower was hard and loud, and for the first time in a long time, Max allowed herself to cry. Not sad dripping tears, but a fully fledged, shuddering, throbbing outburst. The heavy weight of the day's actions finally clawing into her realisation. She leaned with both hands against the tiled wall and sobbed, tears mingling with water, for a full half hour, until there were no more tears left to fall.

Max wrapped a towel around herself and went back into the changing room. There was a figure seated in the middle of the room. "How you holding up?" He asked.

"What are you doing here Logan?" Max responded harshly. She felt the need to be aggressive because of their last meeting, but in truth, she wanted to run up to him and hold him tightly. Unfortunately, even if they had been getting on, the action would almost certainly kill Logan.

"I heard what happened, I came to see if you were ok. I was…. Concerned."

"Concerned?" Max asked suspiciously, his unemotional language irritating her.

"Yes." Logan replied, his head down, "You know I would never want anything bad to happen to you."

Max took a seat a safe distance from Logan. She began to get dressed, confident enough that Logan would be too embarrassed to look.

"That's why I didn't want you to go." Logan explained, "I knew it would end like this. Alec was never going to make it."

Max felt her chest tighten as fear and panic rose to her throat. "Is Alec…?" she stammered.

"Oh no no no no.." Logan stuttered apologetically, "I didn't mean, I mean, he's not, yet. I mean, I spoke to Kaden. He's doesn't think. I mean. I'm sorry Max, but they don't think… I know you cared for him."

"I should go." Max stated blankly.

"You know I'm here for you." Logan explained as she stood up to leave, "You know I still love you, and with Alec gone, you might need.. I mean, I can be here for you."

"Would you steal his grave as quickly?" Max responded, hiding her rage well and shutting the door as she left.

Logan sat stunned and rested his head in his hands. Quietly, under his breath, he swore.


	17. Chapter 17

"I ordered you to let me know when there was any news." Max shouted, the poor female medic pinned up against the wall by the neck.

"Max, put that girl down right now!" came the decisive words of Kaden, "You want to speak to anyone, speak to me."

Huffily, Max dropped the medic and she dashed away like a scared rat. "Well?" she said, fists clenched.

"He's critical but stable." Kaden answered. "We've patched him up as best as we can, its really up to time and patience now."

"That's no news!" Max stated angrily.

"Which is why we never called for you." came the aggressive response. "He's on a lot of drugs, but he's awake just now if you want to speak to him. If I were you, I would take that opportunity."

It was the way that he said it that made a cold shiver rise up Max's back. The way that it was implied that this might be the last chance to talk to him. Logan was right, clearly Kaden was not expecting the situation to go well.

Max walked into the room and pulled a chair up next to Alec. She looked down tearfully at the broken man. Wires and tubes covering him like a blanket.

Alec smiled, "My rescuer." he said weakly. Max refused to make eye contact. She started rubbing his hand gently, "Some rescuer." she whimpered.

"Hey, I'm alive… I think." he joked.

Max looked up at him, he was still very pale and deep black rings surrounded his eyes. Fine lines scarred his face with pain.

"I'm sorry." Max stammered, "I'm so sorry Alec. I tried my best, but I made it all so much worse. I should have got there sooner, fought harder. I was angry when I thought you had gone away with some woman." She sighed and looked down to the floor ashamed, " You know, we didn't start off well Alec." She laughed weakly, "Smart alec. But things are different now. You know I….. care for you." It was as near as she could get to the words she wanted to say.

"Yeah, you and all your friends," came the confused reply. The drugs were beginning to work their magic. Alec's eyes had become glazed over and he began to blink long blinks. "You can be a bitch sometimes," he drawled sleepily, "Like that time in the toilet. This girls a bitch, that's what I thought." A confused Max listened as Alec's eyes closed, "But I love you." he whispered before falling silently asleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Over the next week, and against all odds, Alec slowly but surely began to make a recovery. He was awake for most hours of the day now, and during those hours, Max was there by his side. Initially their conversations had been virtually nonsensical; the combination of drugs and discomfort making the world a bit woolly. But he had now started to piece reality back together and was generally looking much brighter.

"How're you doing today?" Max asked as she entered the medical room to a smiling Alec. "Good, good." Alec claimed, "Angie got me some magazines to read." He picked up the nearest magazine and flicked the pages, "Fascinating stuff." he claimed "Do you know that pink lipstick will suit my complexion much better than harsh reds."

"Also.." he continued, "If I really want to please my man in the bedroom I should..."

"Ok, ok," Max interrupted, "I really don't need to know."

"Why?" asked Alec with a face of pure innocence, "Do you already know how to please your man? Maybe you should show me how?"

He smiled his trademarked white gin, a little flash twinkling in his eye.

"Dream on." laughed Max giving him a playful smack on his good shoulder.

"So, you're obviously feeling much better then." Max claimed taking a seat beside him. "We can put all this behind us now"

"What happened to my clothes?" Alec asked completely out of the blue, "Where are my jeans?" Max smiled, "They're in the bin." she said, "We had to cut them off to get at you." Alec looked nervous. "They're just jeans." Max stated, "I'll get you a new pair by the time your up and about."

"Its just..." Alec started, "There was something in the pocket. You couldn't get it for me could you?"

Max crumpled up her face, "It had better be important!" she complained.

Alec shifted nervously and painfully, "Its..." he began, "Um... its got... some insider information on it." he said.

Max looked confused, "Like a bet?"

Alec suddenly brightened, "Yeah." he said, "They're sure fire wins. I could buy myself a good new pair of jeans when they come through."

Well he was definitely back to his old self. "Fine," she huffed, "I'll get your bet for you." Max stood up to leave, kissing him gently on the head. "I'll be back in a minute." she said, "You'd better buy me something nice with your winnings,"

Max fetched the bloodied and crumpled paper. Unable to resist the temptation to open it, she briefly looked at the series of numbers. Maybe they were lottery numbers? Horses? Whatever? When she arrived back to the medic room Alec was fast asleep.

He was looking better now. His skin was turning back to a healthy colour and the bags under his eyes were beginning to fade. Some bruises were equally beginning to turn from black to a pale blue. The deep stitched wounds still looked harsh against his skin, and a little pot belly was beginning to grow. The result of a week in bed with nothing to eat but pudding.

She left the betting slip by his bedside.

"He's done remarkably well." came a voice from behind her. It was Kaden, coming to check on his patient. He walked over to Alec and began checking bandages, stitches and vital signs. "He'll make a full recovery?" Max asked, hoping that the statement would encourage the correct answer. "It won't be a quick one." Kaden explained, "He's done some real damage in his chest and leg. We'll see if we can get him up tomorrow, or maybe the next day. But he'll need crutches and painkillers for maybe a month or two." Kaden pulled out some crutches from a cupboard at the far side of the room and left them beside the bed. He hurried about his business and left Max alone as quickly as he had entered.

Max smiled. "Hear that," she said to the sleeping transgenic, "You'll be able to lure the ladies with a limp and a scar as soon as tomorrow." Alec's only response was of heavy breathing. "You're right." she continued, "I should get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

Silently, Max slipped off to her own bed. But her brain was active and sleep point blank refused to come. There was something niggling her. She couldn't figure out what. It was there, as the back of her mind. Had she left something on? Has she missed something. She just couldn't figure out what it was.

Finally she decided to get up and go for a little walk, to stretch her legs and ease her mind. The corridors were dark and shadowed, most of the transgenics now asleep, and those not asleep were quietly watching some western movie on TV in the kitchen. Max made herself a sandwich and continued her walk. Maybe she would just check in on Alec. Maybe it was just worry that was keeping her awake.

The medical room was deathly quiet. Alec's shadow lay on the bed unmoving. Not even a breath moved up and down. Maybe it was a trick of the light. Max began to panic. After all this time, surely nothing could go wrong now. She stared hard. No there was definitely no breath. Her transgenic ears would pick up the noise in a second. Eyes filled with tears Max began to approach the bed. A player on her lips, "Please God, no." she whimpered. Slowly she put her hand out.

He was gone.

Literally. The bed was filled with pillows and sheets. Max looked around the room. The crutches. They were gone too. Alec had scarpered. There was a note laying on the bed, left for anyone who was there to find it.

"Bored," it said, "I'm off to lure ladies with my limp and my scar." It was signed with his name, and one to many kisses.

Max smiled. Alec was back.


	19. Chapter 19

Epilogue

Logan had been sitting in his normal chair by his laptop. Even if he hadn't been so engrossed in his work, there was no way he would have heard the shadow enter the room. It was only when Alec touched his shoulder that he turned around started. "Alec!" he gasped. Alec was still looking fairly roughed up, he was walking with a crutches and stood slightly hunched as if in pain. But considering the circumstances he was looking well. "Nice to see you back on your feet buddy." Logan smiled nervously.

Alec said nothing. He towered over Logan and stared into him, searching right into his mind. His heart. Well…" Logan continued in order to break the silence, "Is there something I can do for you?…. A hack…." he swallowed hard, "…or something.?…..no?"

"Nah." Alec finally replied, "I don't need your help." He began to pace back and forward across the room. "You see, " he continued, "We got most of the bad guys. Most of them were killed." He draw out the word killed as an emphasis. "But there were some who got away. Nothing we can do about that though."

"No, of course not." Logan said in reply, "Unless you have some way of finding them?"

"Unless we have a way of finding them." Alec repeated the phrase as a statement rather than a question. He continued. "Most of them we'll never find. Untraceable. But there are a few."

Alec put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. Bloodied finger prints framed its edges. He placed the piece of paper on the desk next to Logan. Logan looked at it as he shifted uncomfortably on his chair. "I found it in the complex." Alec stated sternly, "It's got the numbers and account numbers of all their informants. Recognise any of them?"

"Look…" Logan began. But the transgenic grabbed him by the throat at light speed. He squeezed hard to silence the plead. "I assume you thought that getting me out of the way would pave the road back to Max." Alec growled, "But you're too much of a coward to do it yourself."

Alec squeezed harder and Logan began to turn pink with the strain. "You will be gone tomorrow. Pull your _eyes only_ strings and get yourself a ticket out of this country. Lose yourself. Because if you aren't lost by tomorrow I will hunt you down, and I will kill you. Do you understand?"

Logan didn't need to nod or speak, the fearful eyes in his reddening face said it all. Alec released his grip and Logan fell back down in his chair massaging his throat. Alec turn to leave, his message clearly sent. "Does," Logan began feebly, "Does Max know?" Alec refused to answer. He refused to acknowledge that Logan had even spoken. He simply walked out and quietly shut the door.

Logan was left in the silence of his apartment. But not so silent, as whisper could be heard from the shadows. "She knows." came the female voice as Max stepped out from behind the door. When she had found Alec missing from TC she had followed his trail, eager to get him back into bed. "And if you're not lost by tomorrow." she continued, "I'll kill you myself."


End file.
